Painting and hardening of the paint on moulded parts in a tool with a turnable mould part

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a procedure and a mechanism for the painting/lacquering and the subsequent hardening of the paint/lacquer layer on a previous molded object ( 2 ) preferably of plastic. The invention is characterized by the fact, that all the mentioned processes are carried out in the same tool that performs the molding of the objects ( 2 ), which shall be painted/lacquered and hardened. This can be realized by the molding-tool, which can both be a one- and a multi-component tool, is supplied with at least one turnable mold part ( 1 ), which through stepwise turning, each of e.g. 90 degrees, leads the object through four stations, where the objects respectively are molded, painted/lacquered, hardened and finally ejected from the turnable mold part ( 1 ), wherein they after the molding and until the ejection has been positioned.

The invention concerns a procedure and a mechanism for painting/lacquer and successive hardening of the paint/lacquer on molded objects while they still occur/remain in their with at least one turnable mold-part provided mold-tool, which can be a one-component as well as a multi-component tool.

There are known a number of procedures for the molding of plastic objects with subsequent painting/lacquer and hardening of the paint/lacquer on the molded objects. These hitherto known methods involve however a lot of handling and transport of the objects with robots in dust free environments. With the new procedure according to the invention both painting/lacquer and hardening of the objects can be carried out while they still remains in the tool in which they are molded, which allows great savings through a faster and more secure production and an easier controllable dust free environment.

The procedure and the mechanism according to the invention are characterized by the fact, that the paint/lacquer is applied to the object in a position at least one station/stage after the molding and preferably while the mold is closed, after which the painted/lacquered object by a controlled enlightening from a UV light source or another kind of energy supply is hardened, preferably after the turnable mold part is turned at least one more station further ahead.

The additional embodiments and advantages from the procedure and the mechanism according to the invention will appear from the drawing, where

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a tool according to the invention seen from above with all the four stages in a production cycle shown at the same time, and

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a mechanism for the applying of paint/lacquer, here a nozzle placed in a double walled telescope with belonging masking for the covering of the object.

On FIG. 1 there is seen from above shown a cross section of a tool according to the invention in a closed position. The turnable mold part 1 is here shown as a square with cut off comers and with the objects 2, 2′, 2″ and 2′″ shown in four various stages placed on each of the four sides of the turnable mold part 1. The object 2 has just been molded between the turnable mold part 1 and the stationary mold part 3 through the inlet 4. The object 2′ is shown a station further ahead after the opening of the mold, turning of the turnable mold part 1 90 degrees clockwise and closing of the mold. In this on the figure shown as the lowest position of the turnable mold part 1 the molded object 2′, still firmly placed on the turnable mold part 1, are being applied a preferably thin layer of paint/lacquer, in this case from a special applying device 5. As for the object 2″ it is turned additional 90 degrees forward after the opening of the mold and subsequent re-closing, and it is now placed between the movable mold part 6, which is shown with a built in UV light source 7, and the turnable mold part 1, in which it still remains. It is in this station the applied layer of paint/lacquer is hardened. Finally the object 2′″ shown in the uppermost position of the figure after additional a turning of the turnable mold part 90 degrees clockwise just before the object as complete/finish molded, painted/lacquered and hardened is ejected from the turnable mold part 1 by means of the stripper plate 8. It is seen, that the objects 2, 2′, 2″ and 2′″ describes a complete cycle for the production of a molded, painted/lacquered and hardened object. After one more opening of the mold and an additional tuning of 90 degrees as well as closing of the mold, the tool according to the invention is back in its initial position and ready for a new cycle, starting with the injection of new material through the inlet 4 in the stationary mold part 3.

FIG. 2 shows the special mechanism 5 for the applying of the paint/lacquer layer on the object. It consists of a nozzle 9, which is situated in a double walled telescope mechanism 10, wherein there can be produced an under-pressure, an over-pressure, turbulence or other forms of air streams, which can serve to apply a paint/lacquer-suitable and controlled atmosphere around the object 2′, plus prohibit surplus paint/lacquer in being spread out in the tool, when this is opened and is turned. Furthermore there is on the figure shown a masking 11, the purpose of which is to cover the areas of the object, which shall not be, applied paint/lacquer.

On the drawing there could also have been shown other embodiments of the mechanism according to the invention, e.g. where the turnable mold part was designed mainly as a regular hexagon or a regular octagon. There would thus be more stations during the turning, where e.g. an additional cooling could happen or a hardening of the paint/lacquer. This could also be effectuated with a turning table or an index plate system with more stations instead of the shown system with a turnable middle section. There could as well have been shown a tool with two or more turnable mold parts, just as there could have been shown tools according to the invention with two or more inlets, so there also could have been demonstrated multi-component molding. But the on the drawing shown should be sufficient to explain the fundamental principles in the procedure and the mechanism according to the invention.

The molded objects, which in the previous mentioned above are mainly plastic objects. But the procedure and the mechanism according to the invention can also be applied on objects molded in metals as aluminum and magnesium, in different alloys or in other moldable materials. 

1. Procedure and a mechanism for the varnishing/lacquering and the subsequently hardening of the paint/lacquer on molded objects (2), while these are still remaining in their with at least one turnable mold-part (1) supplied molding tool, which can be a one-component as well as a multi-component tool, characterized by the fact, that the paint/lacquer is applied on the object in a position at least one station after the molding and preferably while the tool is closed, after which the painted/lacquered object through a controlled enlightening from an UV light source (7) or another kind of energy supply is hardened, preferably after the turnable mold part (1) is turned at least one station further ahead.
 2. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in claim 1, characterized by the fact, that the mechanism (5) for applying of the paint/lacquer has a double-walled telescope mechanism (10) or a similar mechanism, wherein there can be produced under-pressure, over-pressure as well as other kinds of air streams, which can serve for the establishing of a paint/lacquer-suitable and controlled atmosphere around the object (2).
 3. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in at least one of the other claims, characterized by the fact, that the objects for the painting/lacquering and the hardening in all their cycles, from their molding until they completely finished are ejected from the tool, are placed firmly in the turnable mold part(s) (1).
 4. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in at least one of the other claims, characterized by the fact, that the for the hardening serving mechanism embodied by an UV light source (7) or another kind of energy supply is placed in a telescope mechanism or in a similar closed environment to obtain optimal circumstances for the hardening.
 5. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in at least one of the other claims, characterized by the fact, that the tool is designed with an encapsulating or similar, so the object (2) after the painting/lacquer can be subjected to under-pressure, heating, cooling or another kind of influence, which can minimize the time for the vaporization of the solvents and/or plastizisers in the paint/lacquer used.
 6. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in at least one of the other claims, characterized by the fact, that the tool is designed with a clean-room encapsulation or similar, so that the object (2) during the whole cycle of the process can be subjected to under-pressure, heating, cooling or other kinds of influence, which can minimize the quantity of dust or other pollution.
 7. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in at least one of the other claims, characterized by the fact, that the tool is designed with extra stations, maskings or the like, so that there can be applied more than one layer of paint/lacquer of the same or a different sort/kind.
 8. Procedure and mechanism as mentioned in at least one of the other claims, characterized by the fact, that the tool is designed with mechanisms for the carrying out of electrostatic painting/lacquering, so that the necessary quantity of the paint/lacquer is minimized, just as the formation of dust and other pollution is brought down to a minimum. 